[Editor’s note: College Being was sent a review sample of Newcastle DraughtKeg. This will not influence our opinions.]

Newcastle now joins Heineken with their own mini keg offering. The Newcastle DraughtKeg is a mini 5-litre keg. It comes with enough beer for 14 regular 12 oz servings and costs about $15 to $20 depending on where you live. The mini keg comes pre-pressurized so you do not need to pump and it can easily fit into a Beertender.

The DraughtKeg

The DraughtKeg is great. You get great-tasting fresh beer just as you would in a bar in Scotland. The keg stays fresh for up to a month, so even if you do not have a bunch of people over or if you are just an occasional beer drinker, it is perfect for you. We experienced no difference in taste and keg pressure from the opening date until we finished it.

There is no need to pay CRV costs for 12+ bottles when you buy a mini keg. That can add up to quite a bit if you’re in a state that charges CRV. Also the mini keg saves a lot of space in your fridge and weights a lot less than carrying 14 glass bottles.

Our biggest complaint with the system is that the DraughtKeg does not appear to be easily recyclable whereas glass bottles or aluminium cans can easily be recycled just about anywhere.

The Beer

Newcastle is a good brown ale with a full-body taste with hints of caramel and fruit. The foam is silky and the aftertaste is sweet. If you like Newcastle, be sure to try the DraughtKeg version. In our opinion it is fresher, tastier, and gives you more control of how much foam you want.